Metro News & Reviews

Transportation headlines: Monday, April 29

Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the Library’sHeadlines blog, which you can also access viaemail subscriptionor RSS feed.

Transportation’s addiction to petroleum products isn’t going away, so says the above video by the group Face the Facts USA.

The President has tapped Charlotte Mayor Anthony R. Foxx to replace Ray LaHood as the next U.S. Transportation Secretary. The nomination comes after months of media gossip and uninformed speculation that was — shocker!! — basically 100 percent wrong. Foxx, 42, does not have a particular background in transportation but as mayor for nearly four years supported an extension of the Blue Line light rail project and a plan to bring streetcars back to Charlotte.

After reading this long list of suggestions from civic leaders/activists, my first suggestion for the next mayor: find some civic leaders/activists who can better articulate/write their vision for improving the City of Angels & Parking Lots. In short, here’s my suggestion: build stuff. Lots of stuff. Homes, parks, transportation projects, bike lanes, sidewalks — all the stuff that makes you wince with envy when visiting other cities. A lot of L.A. looks old and tired and needs a boost; those who fear traffic impacts may want to consider living in a region with millions less people, cars, jobs, businesses and other places to go.

The park at the Cornfields may close next January in order to finally be built as originally envisioned — more landscaping, a pavilion, etc. If so, passengers on the Gold Line will have a front row seat to watch construction.

Transportation planner Jarrett Walker thinks agencies are asking the wrong question when they simply ask riders which seat layout they prefer. The more significant question, he says, is this: how much capacity do riders prefer on their trains? The issue, of course, is that fewer seats means more capacity.